The history of the vacuum cleaner: from the carpet sweeper to the cordless upright vacuum cleaner

The first steps – mechanical carpet sweepers and hand vacuums

The history of vacuum cleaners dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, when the British James Hume created the first mechanical broom in 1811. However, this did not live up to expectations, as it stirred up more dust than it collected. In 1876, Melville R. Bissell, at the request of his wife, created the so-called “carpet sweeper”, which was manually operated and used rotating brushes to collect dust. Although it did not yet have a motor, it was a revolutionary advance in households. Not long after, in 1869, Ives W. McGaffey created the first hand-pump vacuum, which already worked with a suction effect, but was cumbersome to use.

Gigantic Beginnings – Hubert Cecil Booth and the “Puffing Billy”

In 1901, Hubert Cecil Booth, a British bridge engineer, invented the first mechanical vacuum cleaner, the “Puffing Billy”. It had already successfully applied the principle of suction, but due to its characteristics it was mainly suitable for cleaning industrial and larger facilities: due to its enormous size, it was transported to homes by a team of four people on a horse-drawn carriage, and it had 3-meter hoses that were introduced into buildings through windows.

The big breakthrough – Spangler and Hoover

James M. Spangler created the first portable electric vacuum cleaner in 1907, in which an electric fan, rotating brush and dust bag worked together. He received a patent for his invention in 1908, and then, in collaboration with William “Boss” Hoover, he founded the later legendary Hoover company.

Developments of the 20th century – a new staple of households

With the spread of the electrical network, vacuum cleaners became smaller, lighter and more practical. Canister models appeared, then upright models, and the development of filter systems allowed the vacuum cleaner to become an indispensable household tool in everyday life.

Robot vacuum cleaners and cordless freedom

The 21st century is that vacuum cleaners no longer only make cleaning easier, but they can also do it for us, or even become a design element in homes. In addition to robotic vacuum cleaners, cordless, upright vacuum cleaners are increasingly appearing in more and more homes due to their greater efficiency. Thanks to modern battery technology and powerful yet lightweight motors, cleaning can now be both efficient and convenient, while the design of the devices is also increasingly fitting the style of modern homes. LG CordZeroTM upright vacuum cleaners are just like that: the A9T All-in-One Tower station not only serves as a charging and storage station, but also automatically empties the dust container, with the A9K model, thanks to its two replaceable batteries, we can vacuum the entire apartment without any problems, and with the A9 model – thanks to its extremely light weight of only 1.97 kilograms – we can easily remove not only the floor, but also the cobwebs that appear on the ceiling in an instant.